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Canadian finance minister resigns, rumours of Trudeau’s stepping down, US tariffs and more: What we know about the Canadian political crisis thus far

Anurag
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Canadian finance minister resigns, rumours of Trudeau’s stepping down, US tariffs and more: What we know about the Canadian political crisis thus far

On 16th December, the Finance Minister of Canada, Chrystia Freeland, resigned from her post following a clash with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over several issues, including how to handle possible US tariffs to be imposed after President-elect Donald Trump takes charge.

In a statement, Freeland said that she resigned from the post in the wake of the meeting with Trudeau that was held on 13th December, where he asked her to take on a lesser post. Reportedly, Trudeau and Freeland had been arguing over spending for weeks. Following her resignation, a member of Trudeau’s inner circle, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, was named the new finance minister of Canada.

The 56-year-old Freeland was also serving as the deputy prime minister of Canada. Her resignation is being seen as one of the biggest crises the Trudeau administration has faced since taking power in November 2015. Trudeau is expected to lose the upcoming Canadian general elections, and Freeland’s exit is being seen as a big blow to his candidacy.

According to a Reuters report, Trudeau wanted Freeland to serve as a minister without any portfolio dealing with Canada-US relations. On the 16th, Trudeau called for a meeting with the national Liberal caucus, including Freeland. No statements were given to the media about the said meeting.

In a statement, the New Democrats, an opposition party that has been providing support to Trudeau’s administration from outside, said that in case Trudeau does not step down from his post, the NDP would call for a non-confidence motion next year.

The House of Commons leader for the NDP, Peter Julian, told Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC), “If we’re coming up to a straight up non-confidence motion at the end of February, early March, that’s one of the tools that we have.” He added that it is not possible for them to let Trudeau “continue like this”.

In a letter to Trudeau shared on social media platform X, Freeland said, “For the last number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds over the best path forward for Canada.” She added that the threat of new US tariffs represented a grave threat to Canada. She wrote, “That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford.”

Speaking to the media on current issues in the country, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said that the opposition cannot let such chaos continue. He said, “We cannot accept this kind of chaos, division, weakness, while we’re staring down the barrel of a 25% tariff from our biggest trading partner.”

Was Trump behind rumours of Trudeau’s resignation?

Following Freeland’s resignation, CTV News quoted sources in its report stating that the Canadian Prime Minister might be thinking of ending the parliamentary session and stepping down. In a report, CTV said that Trudeau was considering his “options as leader” citing unnamed sources. However, no official statement was issued by Trudeau or his Liberal Party in this context.

CBC said in a report that at least seven Liberal MPs also suggested to Trudeau in a meeting that he has to step down following Freeland’s resignation. However, sources quoted by CBC said that Trudeau said he would take time to reflect on caucus concerns.

Interestingly, some media outlets have claimed that it was US President-elect Donald Trump who instigated the rumours that Trudeau might resign from his post. Interestingly, Trump took a dig at the ongoing political crisis in Canada and wrote in a post on social media platform Truth Social saying, “The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau. Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”

Source: Truth Social

Trump has been trolling Canada by calling it the “51st US state”. Not to forget, during his first term as the President of the US, Donald Trump had renegotiated the free trade deal with Canada and Mexico. At that time, he had said that Freeland was “not liked”. When Trump became the President-elect this time, he threatened to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the US, after which Trudeau went to meet him in Florida last month. At that time, though “jokingly”, Trump hinted at the idea that Canada becomes the 51st state.

The Canadian Prime Minister is facing a severe political crisis as his popularity has seen a steep dip in recent years. The Canadian government is already in a minority, running on support from outside. However, with Freeland’s exit, the possibility of Trudeau’s government standing the non-confidence motion next year is shaky.

Jamia Millia students celebrate 5 years of anti-CAA protests, raise Islamic slogan ‘Tera Mera Rishta Kya, La Ilaha Illallah’ and demand ‘Azadi’

OpIndia Staff
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Jamia Millia students celebrate 5 years of anti-CAA protests, raise Islamic slogan ‘Tera Mera Rishta Kya, La Ilaha Illallah’ and demand ‘Azadi’

On Sunday, December 15, the All India Students Association (AISA), a left-leaning student association, and the National Student Union of India (NSUI), organized an event marking five years of the anti-CAA protests at the Jamila Milia Islamia, a minority institution in Delhi.

The students participating in the event raised Islamic slogans like, “Tera Mera Rishta Kya, La Ilaha Illallah” and “Hum Kya Chahte? Azadi.” They also criticized the PM Modi-led government and indicated that the country will never forget what happened in the year 2019.

As per the reports, the centrally-funded institute which had been the epicenter of anti-CAA protests in the year 2019 that claimed the lives of more than 50 and resulted in around 100 injuries, students there also threatened the administration.

As the protests started on campus, the college administration shut down the canteen and the library and suspended classes. However, this move enraged the protesting students who accused the administration of suppressing their right to express and organize protests.

AISA issued a statement regarding this and targeted the administration for imposing alleged restrictions. “On December 15, 2019, Delhi Police injured our friends, vandalized our campus, and treated us like terrorists. Today, they are preventing us from even remembering that horrific day,” the statement read.

Several videos of the protests are making rounds on social media in which the protesting students can be seen raising slogans even against the Delhi police who were deployed outside the campus amid the protests. The students claimed that the campus was put under lockdown and that their entries and exit were restricted. “Delhi Police Go Back,” “Hum kya chahte? Azadi,” were the slogans that could be heard in the videos.

Notably, while the students claimed that the administration had shut the canteen, classes, and the library in an alleged attempt to stop the protests, it is learned that the administration had taken the said decision as a result of the ongoing construction within the campus. As per the report by the Organizer, the administration had issued a notification stating ‘maintenance work’ as the reason for closure and restrictions on the entry and exit to certain areas within the campus. However, students continued to question the administration on the move and raised doubts indicating the timing of the notice.

Notably, massive violence erupted in Delhi in the year 2019 after the CAA Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 15th, 2016, sought to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to provide citizenship to illegal migrants, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, who are of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian religion. The bill was passed on 11th December and on 13th December it became CAB turned into CAA after getting the President’s nod.

On 12th December 2019, the students at Jamia Millia Islamia took out a protest march which took a violent turn by the 13th of December. The enraged protesters at Jamia and AMU including several Muslim groups attacked public transport systems in the region and indicated their resentment against the centre. By the 14th of December, the situation had worsened and amidst chants of Allahu Akbar and Naara-e-Taqbeer, Jamia Millia Islamia students became violent, leaving 12 police personnel injured.

In the given case, police officers continue to be deployed around the Jamia campus as the protesters ‘commemorate’ 5 years of the anti-Hindu riots. The university meanwhile is yet to issue a public statement regarding the allegations imposed by the protesters.

SC directs TM Krishna to be not recognised as recipient of MS Subbulakshmi award: All you need to know about the case

OpIndia Staff
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SC directs TM Krishna to be not recognised as recipient of MS Subbulakshmi award: All you need to know about the case

On 16th December, the Supreme Court said Carnatic musician TM Krishna should not be recognised and restrained from claiming to be the recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award. The ruling was decided by a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti, one day after the award was conferred on him by the Madras Music Academy in Chennai on 15th December.

The development transpired after V Shrinivasan, the grandson of Bharat Ratna MS Subbulakshmi, filed a petition challenging the Madras High Court’s division bench’s interim order that permitted the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi award, sponsored by the Hindu Group and selected by The Music Academy, to be presented to TM Krishna. The Supreme Court sent notice in response to the plea against the Madras High Court verdict allowing TM Krishna to receive the honor.

The bench pronounced, “The court is mindful of the respect and honour that MS Subbulakshmi commands across all spectrum. She is one of the most distinguished singer and although she passed away in December 2004, her melodious voice continues to bring great joy to all her fans. At the same time, while the write-ups and the comments made by defendent no. 4 (TM Krishna) are his way of coveying his respect for the singer, the plaintiff certainly feels that the words used by him, to the say the least, are not in good taste.”

It further highlighted, “As the award has been already awarded on 15.12.2024, we deem it appropriate to say that defendant no.4 (TM Krishna) should not be recognised as a recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award and is also restrained from projecting himself as a recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award.”

Madras High Court’s initial decision and later stay

V Srinivasan had already petitioned the Madras High Court to prevent the Academy from giving TM Krishna the Sangita Kalanidhi Award and from presenting any awards in MS Subbulakshmi’s name at all. His family, he asserted, did not want the award given to anyone since that would be “against the spirit” of her wishes. Given that TM Krishna had been using social media and his articles to make “vile, vituperative, and scandalous attacks” on MS Subbulakshmi and to defame the late singer’s name, he pointed out, bestowing such an honor on him was even more “questionable.”

A single high court judge, previously, had issued a verdict barring the Carnatic musician from receiving the award in her name. Justice G Jayachandran expressed, “The best way to honour a departed soul is to honour and respect her wish and not to disrespect her. If any person is really having reverence and regard to MS Subbulakshmi, after knowing her desire and mandate, should not continue to give awards in her name.”

The ruling was later overturned by a division bench of the court. “From the plain reading of the contents of the Will, the testatrix did not want anybody to form or create or make any trust, foundation, or memorial of any kind including erecting of any statue or bust in her name or in her memory,” Justices S S Sundar and P Dhanabal had declared.

The bench also disregarded the notion that MS Subbulakshmi sought to prohibit the conferring of honors in her name. “Had it been the intention of the testatrix that no award shall be conferred on anyone in her name, that could have been expressed in simple language. An interpretation contrary to the plain language of the instrument is not permissible in law.” The court stated that she embraced several awards and works that had been established in her honor during her lifetime, and that these practices were uncontested. It further emphasized that other organizations that founded similar awards in her name had not been mentioned by the plaintiff, her grandson.

“This court is unable to reject the contention or stand taken by appellants that the suit and the interlocutory application is not for a bona fide cause, but with an oblique motive against TM Krishna,” the court conveyed allowing the Music Academy to proceed with the award. A few minutes later, the Supreme Court was informed of V Srinivasan’s appeal contesting the decision. The award ceremony meanwhile took place as the top court declined to postpone the division bench’s judgment or consider the case for urgent hearing.

Supreme Court’s observations

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) N Venkataraman, who appeared before the top court on behalf of V Srinivasan, reaffirmed the late singer’s family’s concerns that someone who made derogatory comments about MS Subbulakshmi was receiving an award in her name. “Award was conferred and it was greatly publicised. He (TM Krishna) is a person who made misogynistic comment against her.”

He stressed that the case has not become infructuous, citing the Chief Justice of India’s oral statement from 13th December, when the matter was brought up for an urgent hearing, that the court could direct the award to be rescinded if the challenge is deemed meritorious. He asked whether it was proper to give the award in MS Subbulakshmi’s name to someone who had made a number of “nauseating” and “misogynistic” remarks about her.

He voiced that it would be against constitutional morals to give an award in Mahatma Gandhi’s name to someone who criticizes him, drawing parallels between the two situations. According to his allegations, TM Krishna referred to MS Subbulakshmi in articles published in “The Caravan” and “The Wire” as “the greatest hoax of the twentieth century,” “diva,” “saintly Barbie doll,” and other such terms.

He underlined that at first, a single high court bench issued an interim order to prevent the award from being granted. The Music Academy filed an appeal against the order declining to reject the plaint, not against the interim injunction order. Therefore, N Venkataraman contended that the division bench’s decision to revoke the temporary injunction in Music Academy’s appeal was a “fatal error of law.”

Additionally, he maintained that the injunction against the Music Academy remained in effect and that the temporary injunction was only lifted against the Hindu Group. This is due to the fact that only the Hindu group contested the temporary order.

On the other hand, instead of providing an explanation for his statement before the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court bench verbally reprimanded during the hearing that TM Krishna “added fuel to fire.” The music academy was represented by Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan, who argued that the award was given following the division bench of the high court’s revocation of the previous injunction order pronounced by a single judge.

Addressing CS Vaidyanathan, the bench stated at this point that “there was an injunction against you.” He claimed that the injunction order had been revoked, but Justice Roy responded that “it was set aside not vis-a-vis you.” At this point, Justice Bhatti noted that each party must file a separate appeal in accordance with the Civil Procedure Code, and the Music Academy is not eligible for relief from the vacation of the interim decision since it has not contested the injunction order.

The court mentioned that the case dealt with a delicate matter. Speaking to TM Krishna’s attorney, the bench noted that he had the opportunity to present his submissions before the high court to pacify the matter. It slammed, “Mr Parthasarathy (counsel for TM Krishna), I have gone through articles. This is a very sensitive and important issue. You could have explained your stand before the high court. You did not clarify and then you added fuel to fire and said that she is a barbie doll etc.”

“I did not describe her as a ‘greatest hoax’ (as alleged). I said many called her that and the article wanted to burst that myth,” responded Suhrith Parthasarathy. The court eventually issued an interim order to prevent TM Krishna from being projected as the award recipient in MS Subbulakshmi’s name.

‘Chinmoy Das is targeted by Yunus govt because he was vocal for Hindu rights’: Lawyer Rabindra Ghosh says he would represent former ISKCON monk in court despite threats

OpIndia Staff
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‘Chinmoy Das is targeted by Yunus govt because he was vocal for Hindu rights’: Lawyer Rabindra Ghosh says he would represent former ISKCON monk in court despite threats

On Monday (16th December), senior Bangladeshi lawyer Rabindra Ghosh said that he has been receiving death threats from Islamists after he decided to represent jailed ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested over ‘sedition’ and other charges last month. Advocate Ghosh said that despite the threats, he would continue his fight for the rights and justice of minorities in Bangladesh.

In a telephone interview with news agency PTI, advocate Rabindra Ghosh said the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh is targeting Chinmoy Krishna Das since he had been vocal about the atrocities against Hindus and was actively working to unite the persecuted minorities in the country.

“I am aware that false cases could be filed against me, but that will not stop me. All my life, I have fought against injustice. I have also fought cases for Muslims and helped them get justice. Death will come one day, but I will continue the fight,” the 74-year-old Supreme Court lawyer said adding that Das’s large public gatherings unnerved the administration.

“That is why fundamentalists and the interim government targeted him. Death will come one day, but I will continue the fight,” he continued.

Emphasising the role of the Hindus in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Rabindra Ghosh lamented that ongoing atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh undermine the “very principles” of the war, which was fought to end the unfair treatment of subjects of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

“Since the day I declared that I will be fighting for Chinmoy Krishna Das, I have been receiving life threats. I get regular threat calls and messages, but that will not deter me from performing my duty. I will continue to fight against the injustice meted out to Das and other Hindus,” he said.

OpIndia reported earlier, that the Islamist lawyers in Bangladesh threatened lawyers not to take up Das’s case to represent him in the court and that nearly 70 Hindu lawyers who participated in the case of Chinmoy Krishna Das’s behalf have been falsely booked to prevent them from defending Das.

Amidst Chinmoy Krishna Das’s bail plea being deferred to next month after lawyers refused to represent him, a video of several Bangladeshi lawyers issuing threats to lawyers intending to take up Das’s case surfaced online. In the video, a lawyer accompanied by several other lawyers is reportedly heard saying “If Chinmoy Prabhu has a lawyer, he will be beaten up and his license will be revoked…”

Speaking about an incident in Chittagong court wherein around 40 lawyers caused unrest and tried to attack Rabindra Ghosh, the Supreme Court lawyer said, “How can you frame all the Hindu lawyers who tried to represent Das with false cases? Is this not a travesty of justice? Fundamentalists are beating up lawyers, and the administration is silent. There is no guarantee that I won’t be killed in the future for defending Das.”

Bangladesh arrested former ISKCON monk, head of Sanatan Jagaran Manch and the chief of Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, Chinmoy Krishna Das on November 25.

PFI resurfaces as MEC 7? Supported by Congress and CPIM, started by a former CISF and in coordination with PFI : What we know about the sinister plan, and how women are being coerced

Dibakar Dutta
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PFI resurfaces as MEC 7? Supported by Congress and CPIM, started by a former CISF and in coordination with PFI : What we know about the sinister plan, and how women are being coerced

Two years after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs banned the Popular Front of India (PFI), the radical Islamic outfit is regaining its stronghold in Kerala through a ‘fitness programme.’

The programme is named Multi-Exercise Combination 7 (MEC 7) and has connections with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and the proscribed PFI. MEC 7 has expanded to over 1000 units in Kerala.

The BJP has raised concerns about the alarming trend. The CPI(M) had initially criticised MEC 7 and its links to radical Islamic outfits but backtracked later.

The Congress has come out with all guns blazing, lending both support and legitimacy to the Multi-Exercise Combination 7.

Congress MP V K Sreekandan has even gone on record to declare, “I believe MEC 7 should be expanded across the country. I have personally experienced it, and it is inclusive and beneficial to all.”

This is despite the fact that even some Sunni Muslim organisations such as Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) have highlighted the ties of MEC 7 with radical Islamic outfits.

The ‘fitness programme’ reportedly operates via WhatsApp groups, which are in turn coordinated by extremists associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Women are reportedly dragged out of their homes to participate in the ‘workout sessions.’ MEC 7 is particularly popular in Northern Kerala, especially in Kozhikode and Muslim-majority Malappuram districts.

The ‘fitness programme’ was developed by P Salahudeen, who happens to be a former Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, in 2012.

According to reports, PFI is using MEC 7 for conducting ‘physical training sessions’ across multiple locations. The ‘mysterious’ nature of the workout programme has raised concerns about PFI trying to re-invent and revive itself.

BJP leader V Muraleedharan highlighted the need for the Kerala government to stay vigilant. In the meantime, MEC 7 has cried foul over the matter and claimed that those participating in the ‘fitness programme’ belong to all classes and religions.

An interesting point to note is that MEC 7 operates without any registration and promotional activities including pamphlet distribution. The informal, grassroots-level approach of the ‘fitness programme’ has drawn political eyeballs.

Extremist activities of PFI

In September 2022, the Indian government banned the Popular Front of India and eight of its associates for terror links and security threats.

Back in 2013, a group of people belonging to PFI/SDPI organised a terror camp at Narath, Kannur district, Kerala, and entered into a criminal conspiracy to impart training to youth for using explosives and weapons, intending to prepare them for carrying out terror activities.

However, the police got a tip-off about the terror camp underway at Narath and decided to raid the location. They recovered explosives and including 2 live bombs.

The scrutiny of the bank accounts of some of the accused shed light on massive international transactions, revealing transnational involvement in organising the PFI terror camps in Kerala

The investigations found that the SDPI/PFI leaders hatched the conspiracy to impart training in weapons and explosives to their cadres to retaliate against the alleged torture faced by Muslims in India, especially from the Hindus.

The NIA took over the case and invoked relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against the 24 accused in the case.

SDPI, the political arm of PFI, was also involved in the 2020 Bengaluru riots wherein a Muslim mob went on a rampage and unleashed mayhem over a Facebook post.

The frenzied mob of 200-300 Islamists vandalised the residence of the Congress MLA and set police vehicles on fire. They also attacked police personnel in DJ Halli and KG Halli with stones and deadly weapons.

Government properties and the building of KG Halli police station were destroyed in the arson attack.

As per the charge sheet filed by NIA, Pasha and Mohammed Sherif (SDPI President) were the key conspirators behind the riots.

OpIndia had earlier reported about an 8-page PFI document that talks about teaching a lesson to the “coward Hindus” of India.

Ghaziabad conversion racket: A govt employee possessed by ‘evil spirits’, a pastor from missionary school and their target, a Hindu colony

OpIndia Staff
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Ghaziabad conversion racket: A govt employee possessed by ‘evil spirits’, a pastor from missionary school and their target, a Hindu colony

In various districts of Uttar Pradesh, the police have busted Christian conversion rackets in recent times. Last week, the Uttar Pradesh police uncovered two separate conversion rackets in Amethi and Meerut. In both cases, the accused persons targeted Hindus with financial and other allurements. In September, five people were arrested from Sewa Nagar in Ghaziabad for converting Hindus to Christianity under the lure of providing jobs, money, education, marriage etc.

After receiving a tip-off about a group trying to convert some people to Christianity, police raided the house of Ravi Kumar who was arrested with Ashish Masih (33), Rohan, Deepak, and Modinagar church priest Gerald Mathews Masseya on 23rd September.

The matter was raised by Dharma Jagran Samanvay (DJS) activists who arrived at the house where the conversion activities were going on and found literature and other materials provoking conversion. The Hindu activists informed Nandgram police about it and the police action followed.

In this case, the complaint was lodged by DJS coordinator Naveen Singh who said, “The accused initially contacted people on the pretext of treating illnesses. Then they lured people with offers of jobs, school admissions for their children, and even marriage to convert them.”

Sharma informed that Ravi, who had converted to Christianity 2 years ago, is a government employee, while the Church priest Gerald Mathews is from a Missionary-run-educational institution, Ingraham school, which is popular in Ghaziabad.

Back then, the police had said that they were investigating the allegations that this same group was involved in the conversion of hundreds of people in Hapur and Delhi alongside Ghaziabad. The police had found that the accused persons were converting people through false promises of medical healing through miracles and by luring them through money.

The accused were booked under BNS sections 299 (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings) and 3(5) (common intention), along with the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024

On the 16th of December, journalist Swati Goel Sharma published a thread on X, wherein she divulged the findings of her ground investigation from the Sewa Nagar colony in Ghaziabad. In a video shared by Sharma, one of the accused Ravi was seen trying to defend himself by saying his government document is proof that he is still a Hindu and was not involved in conversion activities.

Sharma mentioned that she visited the house of one Jatav family and found that Ravi had converted to Christianity two years ago. Kajal, the wife of Ravi’s brother Akash told Sharma that such “Sabhas” were being organised twice or thrice in a week until the police raided the house and busted the conversion racket. “She said her family has not converted and that has been a source of confrontation between the two families,” Sharma reported.

Speaking to Swati Goel Sharma, Kajal said, “The house would be filled by outsiders who made a lot of noise while pretending to be trapped by Jinns. We would fear for our safety and lock ourselves inside a room till the meeting went on. Whenever we objected, it would lead to confrontation. After my husband had left for work, the couple would target me for harassment. When I was eight-months pregnant last year, they hit me. I could have suffered a miscarriage”

Speaking about how accused Ravi came into contact with the Christian missionaries. Kajal and the locals said, “It started with a rumour that Ravi had been trapped by evil spirits. On the recommendation of his sister, who had already started attending such gatherings, Ravi too joined those healing sessions (Changai Sabhas). After a few months, he was made to believe he had become free of ‘evil spirits’.

Meanwhile, the neighbours said that after Ravi became free of supposed ‘evil spirits’, he offered his house for healing sessions to be led by Gerald in lieu of money.

Sharma also spoke to BJP councillor Jai Kishen Pal about the matter who said that Hindu activists had contacted him after getting a tip-off about the conversion Sabha in that house. Pal, in turn, contacted Nandgram police. “People questioned us: how can a conversion activity happen right under your nose? And they are right. Such activities are unacceptable.”

During her visit to the Sewa Nagar colony, Sharma learnt that last year, the locals had protested against the construction of a church in the Hindu majority area for new converts from nearby “bastis”. However, after the locals stopped the church construction, it has since been sealed.

Swati reported that several houses had signs reading ‘Jesus saves you’ pasted on walls and gates. In government records, such families said they were Hindus but had turned to “Yeshu, the purest soul that ever lived.”

In March this year, similar incident was reported wherein Christian missionaries were accused of converting poor Hindus to Christianity deceitfully. The incident unfolded within the jurisdiction of the Kaushambi police station in Ghaziabad. Members of Hindu organizations filed a complaint at the police station, detailing that on Sunday, outsiders distributed pamphlets advocating Christianity among economically disadvantaged Hindu families in the Kaushambi area. These pamphlets urged everyone to assemble at a designated location. The investigation in the matter was taken over by UP STF.

Another school shooting in Wisconsin, USA by a 15 year old: What do we know so far about the incident, victims and what’s next

OpIndia Staff
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Another school shooting in Wisconsin, USA by a 15 year old: What do we know so far about the incident, victims and what’s next

On 16th December, at least three people died, including the shooter, and six others were injured in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin. Fifteen-year-old Natalie Rupnow, alias Samantha, has been identified as the shooter in the case. The Madison police were informed about the incident at around 10:57 AM.

What happened?

At 10:57 AM, Madison police personnel were dispatched to Abundant Life Christian School following a 911 call about an active shooter at the school. The school that came under attack is a private, nondenominational institution located in the East Buckeye neighbourhood of Madison.

The shooter has been identified as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, alias Samantha. She reportedly opened fire inside the school, killing a teenager and a teacher. When the police arrived at the scene, they found the shooter dead. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes indicated in a statement that the shooter most likely died by suicide. Police did not fire their weapons at the crime scene.

Barnes said in his statement that a handgun (9mm pistol) was recovered from the shooter’s possession. The motive behind the shooting is unclear. The investigation into the matter has been initiated. Reportedly, the family of the shooter has been cooperative with investigators as they searched the family home and questioned them about the incident.

Barnes said, “Many of you have asked me about the why of this. I do not know, but I will tell you this: our detectives are working hard to find answers so that we can further prevent these things from happening.”

The victims and injuries

According to Madison Police and media reports, three people, including a teenager and a teacher died in the shooting. Their identities have not been released to the media. Furthermore, six others were reportedly injured. Two of the injured students were critically wounded and are battling for their lives at the hospital. Three students and a teacher sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were sent to nearby hospitals for treatment. Reports suggest that four of the injured students and the teacher have been discharged.

Barnes added to his statement that the injuries sustained by the victims are both physical and emotional. He said, “We know that this was the middle of a school day, so there will be other injuries we have to face for a long time.”

Madison police has asked everyone to avoid the area.

Students’ response and security protocols

Speaking to the media, Director of Elementary and School Relations, Barbara Wiers, praised the school’s preparedness for such events. Reports suggest that the students of the school were well-versed in active shooter drills. The training for such drills is provided by the Madison Police Department at the start of the school year.

She said, “When they heard ‘lockdown, lockdown,’ they knew it was real.” Wiers added that the students and teachers acted promptly following the announcement. Notably, the school does not have any metal detectors installed. However, the security at the school premises was recently enhanced using grants provided by the state. CCTV cameras and visual scanners at the entry points are in place at the school to detect any unusual items.

Parents reunite with children

Following the incident, the parents were asked to reach SSM Health Clinic located on Stoughton Road, where a reunification centre was established. The students were shifted to the clinic so that they could reunite with their families. However, it took several hours to complete the process as the parents waited anxiously at the clinic.

Speaking to the media, one of the parents, Mireille Jean-Charles, said, “I don’t know what to say because we always send prayers, we always send thoughts… When are we going to stop doing that? Where are they going to be safe?” Her three children study at Abundant Life School.

Another parent, Bethany Highman, stated no family is prepared for such incidents. She said, “I am just going to gather with community, family, with my daughter.”

What’s next?

As the investigation into the matter is underway, the school will remain an active crime scene. The school has announced that classes will remain cancelled until further notice. Madison Metropolitan School District has, however, confirmed that other schools will resume normal schedules.

Following the shooting, the school issued a statement stating, “Prayers Requested! Today, we had an active shooter incident at ALCS. We are in the midst of following up. We will share information as we are able. Please pray for our Challenger Family.”

Source: ALCS/Facebook

In a follow-up post on Facebook, the school said, “All of our students have been united with their parents, and we are grateful for all the support. We have been flooded with thoughts & prayers. This great nation is behind us. So grateful for the tsunami of prayers for our students, staff, & families.”

Source: ALCS/Facebook

Officials react to the tragedy

President Joe Biden issued a statement on the shooting and condemned the incident, calling it shocking and unconscionable. He called for gun reforms and said, “Congress must pass commonsense gun safety laws: universal background checks. A national red flag law. A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. We can never accept senseless violence that traumatises children, their families, and tears entire communities apart.”

In a statement, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “Today, senseless gun violence has once again visited our classrooms as students and teachers in Madison, WI had their last week of school before Christmas break tragically interrupted by a deadly shooting. Doug and I are mourning the student and teacher who were killed, and we are praying for all those who were injured, including those who remain hospitalised.”

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called the event “devastating,” saying, “It is unthinkable that a kid or an educator might wake up and go to school one morning and never come home. This should never happen.” He added, “As a father, a grandfather, and as governor, it is unthinkable that a kid or an educator might wake up and go to school one morning and never come home. This should never happen, and I will never accept this as a foregone reality or stop working to change it.”

School shootings in the US this year

In Wisconsin alone, four school shootings took place before the recent incident in 2024. Eighty-three school shootings have been reported this year, including fifty-six at K-12 schools. Thirty-eight deaths have been reported in these incidents.

Congress, which claims to champion Dalit causes, fails to honour prominent Dalit leader Babu Jagjivan Ram’s contribution to the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war

પ્રાર્થના અમીન
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Congress, which claims to champion Dalit causes, fails to honour prominent Dalit leader Babu Jagjivan Ram’s contribution to the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war

The India-Pakistan War of 1971 is the best example of the bravery, indomitable spirit and success of the Indian Army. On 16th December, Vijay Diwas, the Indian army liberated Bangladesh from Pakistan’s atrocities and brought about both historical and geographical transformations. Bangladesh was subsequently created. Former deputy prime minister Late Babu Jagjivan Ram, a prominent Dalit face of the Congress Party, is regarded as one of the war’s heroes, and yet he had received little honour by the party in its efforts to aggrandise and adulate the Gandhi family.

India was also impacted in 1971 when the authoritarianism and tyranny of General Yahya Khan, the leader of Pakistan, caused Bangladesh previously known as East Pakistan to fall apart. Approximately one crore refugees arrived in India from Bangladesh. India decided to help the then part of Pakistan as the crisis escalated wherein the three branches of the country’s army, led by the Department of Defense and the Minister of Defense, showed unwavering courage.

Babu Jagjivan Ram’s role in the 1971 war

Bangladesh considered Congress leader and then Defense Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram as the hero of this war. Importantly, not only did the Indian army have a strong sense of patriotism, but the war was fought for a different land rather than India itself. At that time, Babu Jagjivanram played an important role in boosting the morale of the army soldiers and instilling faith in them. The danger of war between India and Pakistan had been growing ever since he was appointed Defense Minister in 1970.

During this period, West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) was also committing greater crimes against Bangladesh, its former part. Mrs. Meira Kumari, a former speaker of the Lok Sabha and the daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram, attended a presentation called “1971 Indo-Pakistani War: Bangladesh Ki Mukti,” which was arranged in collaboration with the Indian War Veterans Association, Indian Foundation, and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. The preparations made under his command were mentioned during the memorial speech on 16th December 2016.

Common people were prepared for the war after visiting different parts of the country

She stated that Babu Jagjivan Ram met the army and travelled throughout India after assuming charge. “Starting wars on the front is not in our history, tradition or roots. However, the conflict will not take place in India if it is forced upon us. We’ll drive the enemy out and seize their territory.” She unveiled that Babu Jagjivan Ram used to give briefings in Parliament every two to three days on the state of affairs and war preparations.

He would speak in public every two or three days, updating the public on national events and our war plans. “There’s nothing to fear” he would tell everyone in India, whether they lived in an urban or rural area and declared, “We will make this a historic war.” He created the atmosphere that was needed in the country.

Committed to honouring army personnel

Meira Kumar highlighted in her speech that Babu Jagjivan Ram used to say that one may or may not respect another person but whenever you see a soldier you must respect him because it is not common to give your life for something intangible. The army crossing the border to safeguard India is not the only aspect of the country’s defence. In addition to preparing the populace and armed forces for war, the defence of India entails that every person should defend the nation and its honour through their actions. On the other hand, he also had faith in Mukti Bahini of Bangladesh.

Additionally, to minimize any inconvenience to people, he directed the Indian Army to stay away from crowded locations whenever they entered enemy territory. According to Meira Kumar, the Indian Army had not yet been the target of any such complaints, even though the brutality and inhumanity committed by the Pakistan Army are documented in history. She referred to this war as an honourable one. This war was critical for several reasons, but it is particularly significant because it not only founded Bangladesh but also altered history and geography.

93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered

For the first time, the Indian Navy had to take part in any conflict. Both the Army and the Air Force had served in previous wars. Operation Trident, the Indian Navy’s first and most successful operation, was initiated during this period. The Indian Navy damaged Karachi, Pakistan’s backbone, during this operation, which caused the country’s morale to crash. This was the same battle in which Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi surrendered to India along with 93,000 of his soldiers.

The nepotism of Congress is the sole explanation for the nation’s unawareness of these vital details. Notably, the party has, up to this point, only attributed historical events to members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. The same transpired in this matter. The name of the Dalit leader Babu Jagjivan, who ensured India’s victory and prepared the entire nation for this conflict, has vanished from the war’s records. Even the Congress, which consistently refers to itself as the “Messiah of Dalits,” did not consider it important to draw attention to the accomplishment of their Dalit leader. This reality would never have been revealed if Bangladesh hadn’t established Babu Jagjivan Ram as the war’s hero.

Bangladesh highlighted Babu Jagjivan Ram’s contribution

Babu Jagjivan Ram’s contribution might never have been known if Bangladesh had not acknowledged him by bringing notice to this issue. Sheikh Hasina was the prime minister of Bangladesh when his role was revealed in 2012, 41 years after the country gained its freedom. Babu Jagjivan Ram, the defence minister at the time, was deemed “important” by Bangladesh in the 1971 conflict with Pakistan. Bangladesh wrote a letter of appreciation for Babu Jagjivan Ram, expressing gratitude.

“He played an important role in forming a ‘joint command’ of Bangladesh and Indian forces for the final attack, which resulted in victory,” the citation pointed out. “He strengthened and coordinated the war strategy with great efforts by providing training, arms and supplies to the Bangladeshi freedom fighters. However, the history of politics will remember him more for his landmark parliamentary speech on 16th December 1971 announcing the emergence of independent Bangladesh,” it added.

A memorable speech in Parliament after victory

Babu Jagjivan Ram’s speech in Parliament is also mentioned in the testimonial letter. According to which Babu Jagjivan Ram declared, “I have to make an announcement. The West Pakistan Army has unconditionally surrendered to Bangladesh. Dhaka (present-day Dhaka) is an independent country or an independent capital.” Significantly, Babu Jagjivan Ram gave a speech in Parliament a few minutes after the surrender of Pakistan to the joint forces of India-Bangladesh.

Babu Jagjivan Ram’s grandson and Meira Kumar’s son Anshul Kumar was also present when Bangladesh conferred this honor on him. He was felicitated by President Mohammed Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Bangabandhu International Conference Hall on 20th October 2012. “The remarkable thing is that he (Babu Jagjivan Ram) never wanted war and only desired justice because Pakistani soldiers had committed genocide in Bangladesh and attacked India as well,” he stated on the occasion. Security experts have also appreciated the leadership of Babu Jagjivan Ram.

Sukhbir Badal assassination attempt: Court sends Narain Singh Chaura to 14-day judicial custody

ANI
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Sukhbir Badal assassination attempt: Court sends Narain Singh Chaura to 14-day judicial custody

The Punjab Police on Monday presented Narain Singh Chaura, the accused in the alleged assassination attempt on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, before the Amritsar Court.

Chaura has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

Amritsar Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jaspal Singh told ANI that Chaura will remain in custody until December 30.

“Narain Singh Chaura was produced before the court today. He has been sent to judicial custody until December 30,” Singh stated.

Advocate Jagdeep Singh Randhawa mentioned that the police had sought a three-day remand for Chaura, but the court instead granted a 14-day judicial custody.

“They requested a three-day remand, but he has been sent to 14 days of judicial custody,” Randhawa said. Previously, on Saturday, the Amritsar Court had extended Chaura’s police remand by two days.

On December 4, an assassination attempt was made on Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple premises. Despite the attack, Badal resumed his religious duties under heavy security and performed ‘seva’ at Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib.

SAD leaders have sharply criticised the Punjab government, demanding swift action against the accused involved in the attack on their party chief.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia condemned the incident, stating, “This attack occurred at the most sacred site of our religion. Why has the accused not been arrested sooner?”

Daljit Singh Cheema accused the investigation of being biased, saying, “The investigative officers are seen roaming around with a history-sheeter. Those who should be investigated are leading the inquiry. There is absolutely no law and order in Punjab.”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Bangladesh and the Islamist treachery: 53 years on, India, Bangladesh’s liberator, is seen as an enemy, while genocidal Pakistan a ‘friend’

Shraddha Pandey
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Bangladesh and the Islamist treachery: 53 years on, India, Bangladesh’s liberator, is seen as an enemy, while genocidal Pakistan a ‘friend’

On the 16th of December 1971, the struggle of the Bengali people and the unforgettable valour of the Indian Army broke the shackles of Pakistani Islamist suppression and East Pakistan’s transformation into Bangladesh became inevitable. On this historic day, Pakistan ultimately called for a unilateral ceasefire and surrendered its entire four-tier military to the triumphant Indian Army.  

A nation born of a genocidal campaign waged against its Bengali citizens by Pakistan’s Islamist army. India was at the vanguard of this liberation, intervening militarily, sheltering and feeding millions of refugees, and coming to the rescue in a crisis that claimed up to three million lives and a slew of atrocities. It was a victory not just a military triumph for India but a victory for the Bengali people who fought for their freedom, culture and dignity.

Operation Searchlight and Pakistan’s bloodlust

In 1970, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the Awami League won 167 seats in East Pakistan’s provincial legislature, demanding greater regional autonomy due to Islamic interference. Despite being united by a common faith, resentment between West and East Pakistan grew. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) opposed Rahman’s demands, leading to a civil disobedience movement in 1971. President Yahya Khan declared martial law and arrested Rahman and other leaders.

On the 25th of March, 1971, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, a brutal crackdown on East Pakistan’s nationalist movement. The genocide and rape of the Bengali people of the then East Pakistan was spearheaded by former Army chief General Yahya Khan. Even as per the conservative estimates, over 200,000 Bengalis were killed and in a deliberate campaign of genocidal rape, Pakistani military personnel and the Razakars raped between 200,000 and 400,000 Bengali women and girls. 

The people of East Pakistan had faced discrimination, be it in the political representation, governmental and other institutions due to these being concentrated in West Pakistan and dominated by West Pakistanis, budgetary discrimination despite East Pakistan forming 55% of the population,  with most drastic being discrimination based on linguistic and cultural lines. While the partition of India on Islamic lines makes it clear that Islamists hated Hindus and other non-Muslim communities, the crux of the blatant disdain of the West Pakistani Islamist government and the army towards the Bengali Muslims was deeply embedded in their hatred for Hindus and their culture. In addition to seeing Bengalis as ‘non-martial’ [read cowardly] people, the Pakistani Islamists opined that the Islam of Bengali Muslims was not ‘pure’ enough due to their connections with the Bengali Hindus, their culture and traditions etc. You see, the Islamists not only hate Hindus but anyone in the Islamic fold they deem not ‘Muslim enough’.

Bangladesh’s journey from resisting the atrocities of its genocidaire Pakistan to romanticising the same

Fast forward to 53 years later, and the political landscape of Bangladesh has turned ironic, if not tragic. The country whose independence India had conferred through military intervention now harbours increasing hostility towards India while cuddling up to Pakistan, the very state responsible for unspeakable violence against its own population. One question the ‘apolitical’ people, especially Indians ask is why despite helping Bangladesh in attaining freedom and lending continued support, the Bangladeshi Muslims hate Hindu-majority India. While an average Bangladeshi Islamist will give a vague response like India asserting its supposed ‘control’ over Bangladesh, economic disparities, ‘border disputes’, water-sharing issues and whatnot, the factual answer to this lies in the fight against the very ideology. Bangladesh is a culmination of. While the Bengali people with the help of India could get rid of Pakistani Islamists in 1971, Islamic extremism in Bangladesh could never really be eradicated. The Urdu-speaking Islamists were replaced with Bengali-speaking Islamists. It can be understood from the fact that since Bangladesh’s liberation, the governments there have ‘legally’ confiscated the lands of Hindus by arbitrarily declaring them “enemies”.

The Islamist political outfits like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) have historically antagonised India, its contemporary demonstration was seen in the ‘India Out’ campaign and its threats of ‘conquering’ Kolkata in 4 days. The Jamaat and its student wing Chhatra Shibir were also directly involved in targeted attacks on Hindus and their temples since the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina on the 5th of August 2024.  One of the first few decisions of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government was to lift the ban on this Islamist outfit.

Pakistan’s founding ideology, which was premised on an autonomous Muslim identity separate from Hindu-majority India, has evolved into a broader narrative in which antagonism towards India is a fundamental aspect. Pakistani political leaders and “Ghazwa-e-Hind” enthusiasts frequently use this animosity to gain public support, divert attention away from internal issues, and justify the military’s enormous control over civilian affairs. Now the Bangladeshi Islamists have taken a page from the playbook of Pakistani Islamists to instigate an already in “jihad” mode Islamist populace into not only persecuting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh but also justifying its hatred for the Hindu-majority India while turning completely oblivious to Pakistan’s unspeakable atrocities against Bangladeshis even as Pakistan has in five decades never apologised for the horrors it unleashed.

As noted Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen pointed out, India went all out to support Bengali freedom fighters, from providing weapons and training to food and shelter, however, Bangladesh which now has clearly slipped into the hands of Islamists is harbouring hatred against India and limerence for Pakistan.

Earlier this month, the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Dhaka directed all its missions abroad to facilitate visas for Pakistani citizens and those of Pakistani origin. Meanwhile, the Yunus administration said that it would stop visa services from one of its missions in India’s Tripura’s Agartala. On one hand, Bangladesh is strengthening ties with its erstwhile oppressor Pakistan and on the other, it is straining ties with its liberator India.

Ironically, Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to the creation of Bangladesh has now become so mainstream and powerful in the country that its Chhatra Shibir ‘activists’ who participated in the violent anti-Hasina protests appeared on the Victory Day posters published by the Yunus government. It is a matter of national shame that JeI ‘activists’ are now being made the face of the Bengali freedom struggle even as the Jamaat itself assisted the genocidal Pakistani army in killing and raping millions of their fellow countrymen. But there is no scope for Bangladesh to even realise its fall and collective shame given its conscience died the day, the Islamist mobs began destroying the legacy of Mujibur Rahman on one hand and attacking Hindu minorities on the other. If the geography allowed, the Islamists in Bangladesh would have merged the country with Pakistan by now.

Islamic groups like Jamat-e-Islami in Bangladesh have long advocated a pan-Islamic identity, one that is sharply in contrast with the secular and nationalist ideals on which Bangladesh’s foundation should have been laid given its people were liberated from horrors of Islamic extremism and barbarism. However, the Pakistan-sympathising Jamat and BNP, who now are more powerful than ever, want its people to see its liberator India as an enemy and its genocider Pakistan as a close ally and natural friend due to the ‘shared’ Islamic identity. Why would Pakistan ever apologise for the brutalities it inflicted on the people of erstwhile East Pakistan when the Bangladeshi people are themselves cuddling up to their genocidaire?

While the Sheikh Hasina government sought to hold accountable those like Jamat-e-Islami who collaborated with Pakistan armed forces during the 1971 genocide, the recent drift and mainstreaming of Jamaat and other Pakistan sympathising entities in Bangladesh, forget accountability for past war crimes, now Pakistan and Bangladeshi Islamists will shamelessly forge deeper ties, villainise India as a Hindu oppressor while persecuting Hindu minorities just as Islamists in Pakistan do without a smidgen of shame.

For India, the outcome of the rise of Islamists is disappointing and a matter of serious concern. India’s sacrifices for the oppressed Bengali people during the 1971 Liberation War are eclipsed by the current weft and warp of the anti-India narrative peddled by the interim Islamist regime in Bangladesh. India is Bangladesh’s major trading partner and ally, however, the growing hostility driven by Islamists is a disconcerting trend. The case of Bangladesh stands as a cautionary tale for India how Islamic supremacist ideology trumps humanitarian alliances and how a country governed by Islamists can turn apathetic to the sufferings and pain of its own people. It is a cruel irony that a founded on the imperative to end Islamist tyranny is now grappling with similar elements of fanaticism and violence.

With Bangladesh falling into the hands of Islamists, with its leader downplaying Islamist violence and mollycoddling the genocidaire of its own people while antagonising its liberator, Bangladesh’s future is bleak and it is becoming everything it fought against. From destroying the legacy of Mujibur Rahman, straining ties with India to abandoning Joy Bangla, a slogan that symbolised the Bangladeshi freedom struggle, Bangladesh is becoming East Pakistan all over again all because even as it got liberation from Pakistan it could liberate itself from Islamist ideology which was the very root cause of the Bengali genocide.

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